The Tracker (1988)

They were killing animals in this movie --they got in in the screams of one shot horse, which was shot in the side from within some bushes. It was in a lot of pain as it fell sideways--From another horse that was shot they were able to get its death throes into the overhead mike, good sound effect on that one --I enjoy westerns, but cringe w/ the older ones as many times they have no problem with animal suffering and brutality --Not sure if the dog was actually killed or not, --I didn't consider the last twenty minutes worthy to be watched

I saw this movie when it first aired. I would rate it much higher but the script was terribly clichéd despite the wonderful performances. Also, David Huddleston is one of my favorite character actors but he was miscast as a lawman in this film. The guy looks like he weighed 300lbs, and there is no way he could have made such a journey tracking those killers. Man, I felt sorry for his horse! I also felt Mark Moses appeared a little too old to portray a wet behind the ears kid. Scott Wilson was simply excellent. He created a full dimensional character instead of a cardboard character for the hero to shoot at. I also enjoyed the Mormon character who came to warn the gang that Noble Adams, the other side's avenging angel, is hunting them. That performance was also excellent. I cannot complain about the action sequences because they were portrayed realistically and brutal. Noble Adams was not in a mood to be nice when violence erupted.

Renegade Mormon psychopath (!) Scott Wilson and fellow prisoners, including John Quade and Don Swayze, bust out of prison and go on a bloody rampage. Famous retired tracker Kris Kristofferson is pressed back into service by lawman David Huddleston to help catch them and ends up bringing his eastern educated son. Upon hearing that Kristofferson is tracking them, Wilson ups the ante by kidnapping two young girls.This is one grim, eighties style western that never lets up in terms of action and suspense. The teleplay by Kevin Jarre (who also wrote Tombstone) has a lot of psychological depth, with Kristofferson revealing to his son a different, more violent side and in turn teaching the young lawyer how to be a man.It's good to see character actor David Huddleston in a non-comedic hero role. Scott Wilson is also good as the pitifully disturbed heavy, probably his best role since In Cold Blood. Kristofferson gives a better performance here than in Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid.Director John Guillerman also scored big with faux spaghetti western El Condor, with Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef. He does a great job capturing the great natural beauty as well as the dark side of the old west.

Kristofferson really put himself on the right track again with this film! After a few years of bombed films there is always one that brings you back and this wa it for him! If Kris made more westerns and stuck to his roots in the films he would be worth an Oscar!!!